Ottawa, ON (March 29, 2025) – Canada’s young boccia athletes continued their strong showing at the Curitiba World Boccia Youth Championships, earning additional podium finishes in the second leg of the tournament. Carter Plumb (Brampton, ON) won silver in the BC3 Pairs event, Andrew Woodrow (St. John’s, NL) secured gold in the BC4 Pairs competition, and Joe Philpott (St. John’s, NL) earned bronze in Team BC1/2 play.
In the BC3 Pairs event, Plumb teamed up with Slovak athlete Aloysius Kai Hong, navigating a competitive field to claim the silver medal. Meanwhile, Woodrow, who had already won Canada’s first international medal of the season a day earlier with a bronze in individual play, added to his success by winning gold in the BC4 Pairs event, alongside Brazilian teammate Joice Lira. The pair went undefeated to secure the top spot. Rounding out the Canadian contingent, Philpott partnered with Slovakia’s Samuel Sloboda and Eliska Jankechova in the BC1/2 Team event to win bronze. It’s the Newfoundlander’s first international medal.
Reflecting on his experience, Philpott shared, “The 2025 Boccia Youth World Championship in Curitiba has been amazing. This has been a great learning opportunity as we are competing against some extremely talented athletes from other countries. I’ve learned that certain shots, including first ball, are decision-makers in who wins each end. The temperature here is very different that what I’m used to, and I found that I also had to adjust my shots as my balls perform differently on this boccia floor. Now I know the skills that I need to work on and hopefully will be able to apply in future competitions.”
High Performance Director Mario Delisle, who accompanied the team, also praised the athletes: “This group of young athletes have been amazing. Along with their performance partners they were able to navigate through the week, keeping spirits positive, and enjoying each moment. In the last couple of days, after long days at the venue, they rose to the occasion even more and were at their best in the Team and Pairs events. It’s great to see such talent and I’m very happy with this group. I look forward to more international events and opportunities with them”.
This tournament served as an invaluable experience for the team, offering them the chance to compete at the highest level, gain international exposure, and refine their skills. With all three athletes earning medals, the future of Canadian boccia looks bright.
Rewatch parts of the competition via webcast on court four here. Follow along on Boccia Canada’s Facebook page for all upcoming events, programs, and memorable highlights.
About Boccia Canada
Boccia Canada is the boccia delivery arm of the Canadian Cerebral Palsy Sports Association (CCPSA), the National Sport Organization for the Paralympic sport of boccia. Boccia Canada is focused on providing athletes and individuals of all ages and skill with the chance to play a unique Paralympic sport. CCPSA leads, develops and grows boccia from grassroots to producing World Champions, and we collaborate with partners to increase participation of Canadians with physical disabilities in sport.
About boccia
Boccia is a Paralympic sport of precision and strategy similar to lawn bowling or curling, played by athletes with Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, and related disabilities. It is one of only two Paralympic sports that do not have an Olympic counterpart. Athletes compete in one of six sport classes based on their level and type of disability: BC1, BC2, BC3, BC4, BC5, and Open. For more information on boccia, visit www.bocciacanada.ca.
Media Contacts:
Holly Janna
Communications Lead
Boccia Canada
hjanna@bocciacanada.ca | 514-944-5193